DON’T MAKE ME CHOOSE
Hijab integral to identity
As a Quebecer, I would have expected premier-elect François Legault to prioritize our crumbling infrastructure, the health-care system and access to daycare. No such luck. It seems Legault means to waste no time in moving forward with his plan to forbid some public employees from wearing anything that identifies their religion.
So as a proud, Quebecborn Muslim woman, I felt sucker punched upon hearing comments on the subject Wednesday from members of the incoming government. I felt like someone hit reset and it was 2013, and the Charter of Values had just been announced.
The public employees to be affected by Legault’s plans are those wielding state authority, notably judges, police officers, prison guards and teachers. He would strip religious minorities of their right to practise their faith along with their professions. We’ve heard a lot about immigrants in this campaign; it should be noted such rules would also affect Quebecers whose families have been here for generations.
Legault seems to have taken a page out of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s book by stating he plans to use the notwithstanding clause. That would be an egregious circumvention of the rights afforded to all Canadians.
This would be done under the pretence of secularism. But coupled with the proposed Quebec values test for immigrants, stripping the rights of religious minorities paints a distinct picture of what Legault and the Coalition Avenir Québec are all about.
The religious-symbol ban would directly affect Sikh men who wear turbans, Jewish men who wear kippahs and Muslim women who wear hijabs. So let’s just cut to the chase. We won’t even pretend that it will apply to the large crucifix that hangs in the National Assembly or anyone donning a cross or crucifix pendant that can be tucked discreetly behind a shirt. What about all the Sikh, Jewish and Muslim professionals making strides in Quebec society, giving back to the community and peacefully living our lives? Where exactly does that leave us?
CAQ MNA Geneviève Guilbault suggested that people will have the choice of whether to seek alternate employment if they opt to wear what the province is calling religious symbols. Telling people to abandon a key component of their faith or lose their job is not giving them a real choice. She seems to think that a teacher who may have been born here, educated here and spent his or her entire professional career teaching here, could be expected to simply choose a different profession, as one might choose another shirt if the one they prefer is out of stock.
I cannot help but think of my cousin who has taught at a public high school for the past decade. She is loved by her peers and students alike, and now if she wishes to continue to pursue her profession, she would be forced to either leave her job or remove her hijab.
The hijab, turban and kippah are not merely articles of clothing. They are an integral part of an individual’s identity and an integral part of religious observance.
I was thrilled to involve my children in the recent electoral process. We watched the debates together, and then on voting day, they accompanied us to the polls. Now, they are hearing of Legault’s plans to strip Muslim women who wear the hijab of their rights, along with Sikh and Jewish men. The looks of anger and confusion on my children’s faces say it all.
It appalls me to have to explain to my almost-teenage daughter that if she chooses to wear the hijab, her choice of profession will be limited. My maternal instinct is to teach my children that the world is their oyster, and that they should pursue their dreams and passions.